Reviews for 'The Thirties' 'Hugely impressive!she gives us a vast panorama, taking in everybody from debutantes to the destitute, painting a thoroughly entertaining and convincing picture of a nation deeply divided by class and region!for the depth of its research, the quality of the writing and the sheer richness and vibrancy of the material, this is a quite outstanding work of social history. From architecture to the abdication, from zeppelins to zoos, it is comfortably the definitive account of a decade that has been much maligned' Daily Telegraph 'Excellent!she has mastered a vast number of written sources, and the resulting synthesis is also a work of graceful, eloquent historical imagination!.all the peaks are covered with calm competence, but it is in the bypaths she takes that THE THIRTIES excels!.memorable!..the cinematic clarity of Gardiner's descriptions!make her book captivating' Sunday Times 'Enthralling!THE THIRTIES weaves an eclectic and exciting story!.Gardiner has an almost cinematic sense of detail!.The greatest tribute to Gardiner's book is that it doesn't read as history, more a vibrant, nuanced narrative of the lives lived by our immediate predecessors' The Times 'This is history as told through a carefully woven web of stories, relayed by a consummate storyteller!the resulting portrait is!energetic and colourful' Observer 'Like all the best historians, Gardiner recognises the raw power of the eye-witness account!the statistics she comes up with shine an extraordinary light on an overlooked peculiarity of the era!fascinating!Gardiner proves a diligent, clear-sighted guide to the strange intellectual currents of the times!the photographs in this book are wonderfully well-chosen' Mail on Sunday 'A wonderfully, fine-grained portrait of this decade so rich in contrasts. Gardiner's pen combines literary skill with historical intelligence!THE THIRTIES is a joy to read. Gardiner is the new J.B. Priestley!It would be difficult to find a richer, more seamless and colourful canvas' Sunday Express 'There is no corner of British life, public or private, that she has not invaded in order to provide the texture of the time, expressed with verve and elegance. This is an easy and pleasurable read!her very full and entertaining book is designed to show it as it was!rich and absorbing' Financial Times Gardiner's account of the 1930s is long-awaited!.her gifts for panoramic sweep and telling detail, her omnivorous curiosity and sympathy!Gardiner excels at making history personal' Independent 'Completely absorbing!All the great names are here, but the intimacy of the history is found in the hidden stories Gardiner unearths' A.N.Wilson